Never a Dull Day
by CADay
Summary: What started as a roleplay with OC's became this story. Very dramatic. Anything that can go wrong at this magical school will. I do not own the canon characters mentioned or the magical world. Rated T for death, language, and bad situations.
1. Partner

_**This was originally a roleplay, and this was my partner's first post. You may notice some discrepancies throughout this as a whole, but I've attempted to fix most of them. Enjoy. And always leave me a review with your thoughts.**_

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Morning broke grey and cool. The Slytherin Common Room was left abandoned, as even the most ambitious and studious of the Slytherin House choose to sleep late on the weekends. Dim embers glowed in the large stone fireplace on the far wall and various papers and sweet wrappers littered the many dark wooden tabletops. On a high backed chair near an alcove filled with book cases, a sleek grey cat lay napping. Cordelia Wood wandered over and scooped the cat up into her arms; it was not amused in the slightest, but allowed Cordelia to cradle him. Eli was not a morning person at the best of times, but strange dreams had been plaguing her of late and she needed her prickly cat Loki's comfort.

It had been a long time since she'd dreamed about her all those years ago and she had no idea why they'd cropped up again, but the memories were still bittersweet. As her father was the Keeper for Puddlemere United and both parents were Gryffindor alumni who had fought in the Battle for Hogwarts, her family legacy wasn't unknown. It had felt like a slap in the face when she was sorted Slytherin.

"Ahh, another Wood, hmm? My, my... what an intriguing mind you have. Intelligent, fiercely loyal, impulsive bordering reckless - but courage in spades. You'd make Godric himself proud"  
"Gryffindor, yes. Like the others"  
"Don't want to be like the others, hmm?  
"What? No, of course-"  
"I can see into your mind, Ms Wood, no point protesting. Gryffindor would fit, yes, but you could do so much more in other Houses. You're crafty, with a sly streak and so, so much ambition. You are destined for great things. In the long run, I think you'd make an excellent-"

SLYTHERIN!

She and her brother, waiting for her at the Gryffindor table with a few cousins and family friends, had stared at each other wide eyed before she numbly wandered over to the Slytherins, much to their collective amusement.

Loki jumped from her arms, pulling Eli from her reverie. She brushed down her fitted dark jeans and long blue and black striped cardigan. It had been difficult making the adjustment to living in a House that wasn't Gryffindor, let alone being a Slytherin. The Second Wizard War may have been decades ago, and it had its roots in a time that was decades back still, but both were still within living memory.

Her father had held definitive views that all Slytherins were evil incarnate, predjudices from his own school boy and war time days. Immediately after news of her sorting his shock and disappointment were obvious, although her mother was much more diplomatic, just bewildered. Her brother especially hadn't made it easy on her. He'd accused her for most of the year of choosing to be a Slytherin, rebelling against family tradition; it was ridiculous. They'd argued constantly as she desperately tried to convince Tristan otherwise, until eventually she gave up and steadfastly ignored him. Their parents had to step in and put an end to things, but even today their relationship was stilted.

That was five long years ago now, and things had just been beginning to ease as the wizarding world realised they needed to move on, when celebrated war hero Beau Astoria was murdered in the sanctuary of his own home. Taunting words scrawled above his brutalised body in his own blood,

"For he being dead, with him is Beauty slain,  
And, Beauty dead, Black Chaos comes again"

It was Shakespeare, a celebrated artist in both muggle and wizarding circles, and The Daily Prophet had leaked the quote to the world.

Even before Astoria's death, rumours had been circulating about people who had fought for the Order being attacked, some going missing. But it was just innuendo and hear say and people chose to ignore it, because things were beginning to get better. But now there seemed to be inescapable proof, and the idea of Black Chaos returning had caused mass hysteria. Death Eaters were a relic of the past they wanted kept there.

Tensions in the wizarding society had quickly escalated again, and at Hogwarts, the place where the final stand of the war had taken place, inter House rivalry had never been so high; students tainted with the history of their parents deeds and misdeeds. It felt as if everybody was watching, waiting for a Slytherin to slip up and admit they were all Death Eaters in training. Half the time Eli wanted to roll her eyes and tell people she hadn't gotten an ugly tattoo since the last time they'd seen her, the other half did what she usually did and tried to fade into the background.

She scanned the Slytherin Common Room with intense amber gaze, a small surge of protective pride flaring within her. For the most part her House had been good to her, and she knew they were more than just a bunch of one dimensional fairytale villians no matter what the history books said. Sighing, she ran a hand through dark choppy waves before pulling her hair into a messy bun, high on top of her head. She headed towards the Common Room door, hoping breakfast would be ready in the Great Hall, deciding she'd much rather eat her feelings than analyse them.


	2. Me

_**This was my first post. Just look at the chapter names- or our styles. She was a better writer than me. :P I like reviews.**_

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'The raven, it keeps rapping, gently tapping, at my chamber door. NO! It can't be back! Raven- raven!'  
A black haired girl fell into an abyss, leaving a blonde standing beside it, shocked. The Raven didn't stop tapping though. It just kept going -Tap, tap, tap- at the glass.

Taylor Petterson's pale green eyes snapped open as the tapping continued. Of course, everywhere she looked from the moment she opened her eyes of a morning, she saw a raven, but then again, she was in Ravenclaw, wasn't she? But the tapping, she knew it wasn't Poe's raven. Glancing at the window beside her bed, she saw Silas, her black barn owl with his ghostly-pale heart-shaped face. 'He must have a letter from Mom,' she thought happily.

Taylor's mother was a Squib; she hadn't gone to Hogwarts and had completely abandoned that side of her life. That was until Taylor got her letter five years ago. She told Taylor that she had always know that she was a witch, and that she would gladly allow her to go to Hogwarts- after all, it had all changed since she was a girl. So Taylor exchanged her quiet life in the Tennessee woods for a castle in a magical world that she would have never believed existed.

Throwing open the window, Taylor greeted her owl, whose intelligent eyes seemed to know what she was thinking. "Come on, Silas, you and I both know it's coming up on the anniversary. You can't blame me for dreaming of her," she told him as she untied the letter attached to his leg.

She looked at her mother's writing and suddenly didn't feel like answering any questions. Today just wasn't the day for "how're your classes? Are you thinking about Raven? Are you coming home for any of the breaks? Have you made any friends? Are tensions really as high as everyone is saying?" She didn't want to think about it; she was sick of hearing about the Last Great Wizarding War in History of Magic, she was tired of pretending everything was okay at home, and most of all, she just wanted her mother to understand that they were nothing alike.

"Come on, Silas, let's go to the Great Hall, and maybe after we eat, we can go see Dumbledore." She pulled on a pair of tattered jeans and an oversized tee before lifting the owl in the crook of her arm and setting off out of the tower, refusing to glance at Rowena Ravenclaw as she left.


	3. Partner 2

The dungeons were always chilly in the mornings before the castle had a chance to bask in the sun's warmth. It was as if the chill from the lake's frigid waters seeped through the very stone walls. Eli didn't know if their Head of House was just rubbish at heating charms, didn't bother with them at all, or if it was all psychological; everything seemed to have a psychological bent to it these days. Feeling rather glad her cardigan was long enough it skimmed the tops of her knees she walked through the passageways, footsteps echoing around the empty walls, until she came across a tapestry of a coal black unicorn rearing up against a forest in flames. Cooing gently at the mare, she stroked its mane and with a whinny the hidden wall behind the tapestry slowly opening with the scraping sound of stone of stone. Slipping under the tapestry the door closed behind her and she headed in the dark to the end of the hidden hallway.

Eli had found the passage in her 4rd year whilst trying to escape the vindictive caretaker after being out after curfew after losing track of time in Hogsmeade. It lead from the dungeons to an empty annex behind a large statue of the same unicorn in the tapestry right near the Great Hall, and cut the winding trek from the Slytherin common room at the very back of the dungeons to the heart of the school in half. Emerging from the tunnel, she peered past the statue only to see the area empty. As expected, really.

Crossing through the double arched entrance to the Great Hall Eli was surprised to see a few students already up and eating, although the room was still mostly silent, only a few quiet murmurs being exchanged. Not usually an early bird, the sight struck as strange, 'but,' she thought to herself, 'to each their own.' She slipped into any empty space at the Slytherin table, the only of the four void of students, and helped herself to a bowl of strawberries. Most likely meant for cereal toppings, but in Eli's opinion, the early bird caught the worm. At her lame pun, the corner of her lip twitched, thank Merlin no one had been around to hear that if she'd uttered it aloud.


	4. Me 2

Taylor silently ate, avoiding eye contact with anyone else in the room. Her owl was the only one in the room, always was. Morning post didn't arrive for an hour or so, and no one else ever brought their owls to breakfast. But that didn't mean anything to her; she had had Silas for years, even before Hogwarts. It had been her mother's idea to get an owl instead of a dog, and she was so glad now. Silas was the handiest pet she had ever met.

After they finished their food, Taylor placed the black owl on her shoulder and headed toward the gargoyles in the main hall. They seemed to smile at her as she told them the password "Dumbledore" and sprang aside, allowing her up the spiral staircase. The password had been the same ever since the headmaster's death. It seemed that the board of governors had decided that the office should be open to all who seek his advice, because as it had once been said- Dumbledore would never truly be gone from Hogwarts until there were none left that were loyal to him". And she believed that.

Her first year, she had been sent to talk to the current Headmistress, but only the portraits had been there. And there was Dumbledore with his half-moon spectacles, his twinkling blue eyes, and wise gaze. She had completely opened up to him, about everything: her home life, feeling like a Muggle, Raven. Everything had come tumbling out to that picture, that moving, talking portrait of a man that had died before she was even born.

She knocked softly and waited for the soft voice to tell her to enter. She could hear voices on the other side, and was able to discern both of them. There was the Headmistress and her frank voice, and the serene tones of the Herbology teacher and head of Hufflepuff, Professor Longbottom. Taking a step back, she waited for a moment before easing the door open.

"Good morning, Professors," she said politely as she slid past the heavy door.


	5. Partner 3

Halfway through eating almost the entire bowl of strawberries, Eli was considering turning to something with more substance, like the delicate and flaky pastries she could see sitting on a tired stand within arm's reach. Although not much to them in the way of actual protein, vitamins or any of that other good stuff, she could see a pain au chocolat which would be good with a glass of milk. She was distracted her her musings when someone flopped down across from her at the table, pouring a bowl of cornflakes and snatching the strawberry bowl from her and using them for their properly intended purpose.

Shaggy chestnut hair fell just past his ears where it curled slightly, and judging by the rest of his dishevelled appearance she doubt it was tousled from sleep. He glanced up at her then, dark brown eyes questioning,  
"We got Quidditch practice today or what?" he asked, shoving a large mouthful of cereal into his mouth. Lip curling slightly, Eli reached over for the croissant she had been eyeing before turning back to the boy,  
"Hello, Lucas. How goes it this fine morning? Good morrow, Eli! I'm peachy keen, yourself? Oh and thanks ever so much for the strawberries"  
Lucas snorted, "Since when do I say shit like 'good morrow?'"  
"In my ideal world, Lucas. You also pine for a secret love in Hufflepuff and aren't a completely rubbish chaser"  
"Rubbish chaser my arse," he muttered viciously jabbing at his bowl with his spoon. Eli just smiled sweetly over at him, tearing at the pastry in her hands,  
"Notice you didn't mention anything about the Hufflepuff"  
Predictably Lucas didn't bother to reply, just focused on his bowl.

As observant and introspective as she was easily distracted and impulsive, they tended to irritate each other as much as they amused each other. Both chasers, they had made the team as third years, but before then hadn't spent much time together outside of classes but constant Quidditch sessions and a love of the sport had brought them closer together. Somewhat. Eli finished off her pastry then, using a paper towel to rid her fingers of the sticky chocolate remnants and apparently ravenous, Lucas had finished too, pushing his bowl away and turning back to Eli, "So. Quidditch?"  
In reply the girl shrugged a shoulder, "I dunno, i'm not the captain am I?"  
In reply Lucas rolled his eyes, leaning forward in his place head propped up in a hand balanced on the table, "Unfortunately. He's /useless/"  
It was Eli's turn to fall silent then, although she agreed their captain wasn't ideal.


	6. Me 4

Taylor tried not to grimace as Professor McGonagall's shrewd gaze fell upon her. The woman had been there for years; she had been old when most of the professors were students, and now she was simply ancient.  
"Petterson, it's customary to wait for someone to answer the door before entering," the Headmistress informed the girl with a scowl. Unsure of the proper response, Taylor nodded her head timidly, not meeting the professors' eyes. 'That woman is terrifying' she thought as she waited for the Headmistress to further berate her.

"Miss Petterson, go on to Professor Dumbledore, and leave your owl in here," Professor Longbottom lightly, a peaceful smile spreading across his face. Taylor had heard that the Herbology professor had fought in the last Wizarding war, but before last year she wasn't able to see it. Sure, he had scars, but he seemed like too much of a pacifist to actually fight. But she had gotten to know him better as a second-year, and he had told her all about it. Then she had been interested in it, but now, with the rising tensions, she was tired of it.

Remembering that she was standing there like a dolt, she sat Silas down, thanked him and skirted across the room to the door that led to the former Headmaster's new office. It seemed kind of funny to her that a portrait got its own office, but she could understand it. The man had meant a lot to a bunch of people, still did even. She knew he meant a lot to her.

Opening the door, she grinned. "Hello, Professor. How are you today?"

"Quite well, Miss Petterson, quite well. And yourself?" He beamed down at her, his kind, blue eyes twinkling. She nodded, not quite sure of the answer. Of course, she knew the painting could read her like an open book; they said that had been one of his many skills when he was alive, and she was willing to believe it.

"Well, Professor, that's what I wanted to talk to you about. Do you remember us talking about Raven?" Raven- a subject that she would only discuss with him. Her mother had been trying to get it out of her for a couple years now, but she wouldn't- couldn't. It was still too sore.

"Of course."

She forced herself to meet his eyes, "The anniversary is day after tomorrow." He gave her a sad, understanding smile as she sat down, a heavy sigh slipping out.

"Do you still believe it was your fault?" he asked softly, watching her through his half-moon spectacles. 'When will I not?' she asked herself.

Out loud she said, "Yes, because it was my fault. If I hadn't forced her to come out, she wouldn't have been tormented the way she was. She wouldn't have drowned herself." 'If you had just let her be, you would still have her, you selfish prat.' She had dwelt on their last argument for the past two years. It was her fault, completely her fault.

"Miss Petterson, coming out is never easy. You managed to endure your share of taunts. Why do you feel responsible for her actions though? It isn't as though you could control them for her."

Taylor chewed on her lip for a moment before answering. That was the conversation they had every time they broached the subject. "I feel responsible, sir, because I made her out herself. I told her that if we couldn't be open about it, I was done. Didn't you ever-?" she didn't dare voice the rest of her question. She had had her suspicions for a while, but they had never openly discussed it and she was afraid to now.

He closed his eyes, and she knew he understood what she was referring to. But rather than wait for his reply, she upruptly stood. "Have a good day, Professor." He nodded understandingly as she turned to leave.

"Good day."


	7. Partner 4

_**Bored yet? Leave a review ;)**_

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After polishing off three pastries in quick succession, Eli watched as Lucas rubbed his hands against his denim clad thighs, her elbow on the table and her hand propping up her head.  
"Someone's got an appetite," she noted. Lucas merely grinned at her, his manner nothing but cocky as he leaned back in his seat. It was such a sudden transformation in mood, and she knew the looks of someone who wanted to boast when she saw it.  
"Huh. Well, if it was anyone around here i'd know already," she scoffed, thinking of the ridiculous speed of the Hogwarts gossip grape vine. Although the castle was sprawling in size and housed hundreds and hundreds of students, sometimes it felt as if you were living on top of each other, and it was near impossible to truly keep a secret to yourself. Luckily for her friends, she was a master at secret keeping, often she held the knowledge to her own detriment. She bit her lip, scanning Lucas for tell tale signs of, well, anything.  
"Not Hogwarts then. Hogsmeade? Some poor naive village girl?" A smirk and a shrug of a shoulder. She sighed,  
"Either you spill or I give up and you'll have to wait 'til your dorm's up and they can slap you on the back or whatever it is you boys do,"  
"Paloma Davies" he merely grinned as Eli's confusion turned to shock.  
"Paloma Davies? The head girl from.. what, two years ago? Lucas! You're /jailbait/"  
Laughing he shook his head, "Nup, i'm sixteen. /You're/ still jailbait. Besides, she's only, what nineteen? Twenty? So it's not that bad. She was visiting her younger sister at The Three Broomsticks last night"  
Eli scrunched her nose at the informaton, but refrained from speaking any more on the subject. More students had arrived then and hearing her loud exclamations were looking at the pair curiously.  
A flurry of noise, hooting and flapping wings, announced the arrival of the owl post before the birds themselves appeared. A copy of The Daily Prophet was dropped off to Lucas, who eagerly flipped to the sports section to see how his team was doing and Eli's mother's tawny owl circled the hall a few times before dropping two identical packages in front of her before immediately flying away. One was addressed to her and the other her brother, she sighed as she realised she was going to have to play messanger for him. Not bothering to open the package, she peered at the paper over Lucas' shoulder.


End file.
